Newsletter Archive

In this Month’s Issue:

• No Really, Let's Talk about You: The Reader Survey
• BURIED SECRETS Begins to Surface . . .
• And In Stores Today: AGENTS OF TREACHERY
• June is Audiobook Month!
• Scenes from a Booklovers Convention
• Where You Can Find Me in June and July
• Trivia Winners, and a New Question

No Really, Let's Talk about You: The Reader Survey

I admit it: I'm curious. I'm curious about what you're reading, why, how, and when. I'd like to know when and how you first picked up a Joseph Finder novel. I wonder whether you're a fan of thrillers on TV and at the movies as well as on the page. I'd like to know what other authors you're reading - and tell me, what else do you do with your spare time?

My publishers and I would also like to know how you decide what to read - that is, which marketing approaches work and which don't. In today's environment, where every penny counts, how are you getting your information about new books and authors, and what drives your reading decisions?

With the help of my publishers, I've put together a survey that asks you about all these things, and more. This is something I've developed with my U.S. publishers, St. Martin's, so the survey is targeted to U.S. readers only; if you're in the United States, please click here to participate.

This information will really help my publishers and me make decisions about things like release dates, touring, advertising campaigns and more. I promise I will never share your personal information with anyone, and I won't add you to any new mailing lists.

I know we're busy, and we don't all want to take the time to fill out even a brief survey like this one.

So I'm not above bribing you.

For everyone who takes the survey, I'm going to donate $1 to a wonderful charity: Reach Out and Read, the nonprofit organization that prepares America's youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with pediatricians to give books to kids and encouraging families to read together.

And if you need a more material motivation, how about this: everyone who completes the survey is automatically entered in a drawing to win one of those new iPod Nanos (the kind that shoots video and gets FM radio and has a live pause button, which still blows my mind. I want a live pause button for everyday life.) Just respond to the survey by June 30.

And if you could Tweet about this and put it on your Facebook wall, I'd be most grateful. Or you could just do it the old-fashioned way and tell a friend. . .

BURIED SECRETS Begins to Surface...

Thanks to everyone who emailed, Tweeted and left Facebook messages about the announcement that the publication date for BURIED SECRETS has moved back to next spring. Apologies again for the disappointment, but I think you'll be really happy with the final product, and I'm happy with my new regular publishing slot. The manuscript is with my editor now, starting the long journey to a bookstore near you. Watch your email, JosephFinder.com, my Facebook page and my Twitter feed for more information about Nick Heller's next adventure in the months ahead.

And In Stores Today: AGENTS OF TREACHERY

In the meantime, I'm proud to have my first published short story in the collection AGENTS OF TREACHERY (Vintage trade paperback, $15.95), which hits stores today. Legendary bookseller/editor Otto Penzler compiled the anthology, which includes 14 stories by such masters as Lee Child, Stephen Hunter, Gayle Lynds, Charles McCarry, David Morrell and Robert Wilson. My story's called "Neighbors," and it's about a Boston architect who's sure that his new Persian neighbors are not what they seem. I had fun with it. Hope you do too.

To celebrate, a special trivia contest: In my story, I have deliberately altered a certain aspect of a Boston landmark, for dramatic purposes. The first one who emails me to correctly identify this alteration will receive a signed copy of AGENTS OF TREACHERY! Send your response to joe@josephfinder.com by June 30. (As usual, this contest is available to U.S. mailing addresses only.)

June is Audiobook Month!

Summer is a season when I spend a lot of time in the car, driving back and forth to the seashore - and that means audiobooks. I suspect I'm not alone, which may be why June is officially Audiobook Month, as declared by the Audio Publishers Association. If you're on Twitter, watch for tweets with the hashtag #JIAM - June Is Audiobook Month - where authors and listeners will be sharing audiobook recommendations and experiences.

My books have been lucky to find some terrific readers, from Scott Brick (PARANOIA, COMPANY MAN, KILLER INSTINCT) to Dennis Boutsiskaris (POWER PLAY) and now Holter Graham, the voice of Nick Heller in the audio version of VANISHED. Holter's reading of VANISHED received an Earphones Award from AudioFile magazine and was named one of their Best Mystery/Suspense titles of 2009. VANISHED also made Library Journal's list of Best Audiobooks of 2009; you can watch a video of a conversation we had about the process.

With so many demands on our time and attention, audiobooks are one way to keep my reading pile under control - but a good audiobook is more than just a reading. When I was a kid, my brothers and I used to listen to "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre" late at night in the dark, and the best audiobooks recreate that feeling of being transported to a different world. I've stayed in the car after I've reached my destination, just because I wasn't ready to leave that imaginary world. I was lucky enough to be part of the ITW's two serial thrillers written specifically for audio, THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT and THE COPPER BRACELET. Knowing that I was writing for audio did shape my chapters - which is one reason I'm especially proud that THE COPPER BRACELET is a finalist for an Audie Award this year.

What are some of your favorite audiobooks? Leave recommendations on my Facebook fan page, and I'll give an audiobook of PARANOIA to one commenter drawn at random at the end of June.

Scenes from a Booklovers' Convention

It's true: I went to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, and I had a great time. Because I'm just a romantic guy, you see. Despite my original declaration that my usual wardrobe as an International Man of Mystery was enough for the convention's costume ball, I couldn't resist getting into the spirit of things just a little.

Then again, how do you know those horns aren't my own?

Where You Can Find Me in June and July

I'll be on the road for a good chunk of the summer - which reminds me, I need to stock up on audiobooks. Please find me and say hello if you're planning to attend any of these events.

June 28, 2010
The American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference
Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
Morning - In-booth signing
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - "For the Love of Reference," a panel with Nancy Pearl and Peter Bromberg for the Reference & User Services Association President's Program. I'll be talking about my research addiction.

July 7 - 10, 2010
ThrillerFest V
Grand Hyatt
New York, NY
VANISHED has been nominated for a Thriller Award! Awards will be announced at the Thrillerfest banquet on Saturday, July 10, where Ken Follett will be recognized as the 2010 ThrillerMaster. Register for the whole conference or individual events.

July 22 - 25, 2010
2010 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
The Crown Hotel in Harrogate, UK

Trivia Winners, and a New Question

Congratulations to Gary Laughton of Encino, CA; Mary McLain of Patrick, SC; and Richard Waugh of Fredericksted, VI, who all knew that Nick Heller’s brother Roger worked for Gifford Industries when he disappeared at the beginning of VANISHED. They win signed hardcover copies of PARANOIA.

Haven’t won anything yet? The new contest starts today: The unthinkable happens at the corporate retreat Jake Landry attends in POWER PLAY. What was the name of the remote luxury lodge? Submit your answers between now and July 31 via the website’s contact form for a chance to win a signed hardcover copy of COMPANY MAN. (As usual, I apologize, but we can ship books only to U.S. addresses.)

And as always, we give away a signed book every month at random to a newsletter subscriber in the United States — so if you’re getting this newsletter as a forwarded e-mail, please take a minute to subscribe. I’ll never spam you or share your information with anyone else.

All the best,
Joe Finder

P.S. And please, spread the word by forwarding this newsletter to friends you think might be interested.